Lobster Cakes Recipe from the Maritimes

.

.

It Doesn’t Get Any Healthier

Centuries ago Natives caught lobster and spread them to fertilize their fields or used them as bait on their hooks for fishing.  Once considered “food for the poor” in colonial times, they were fed to children, prisoners, slaves and to servants, who exchanged their passage to North America for seven years of service to their sponsors in the New World.

Only 90 Calories

With only 90 calories per 100 gram Lobsters are the perfect food to keep in shape. Compare it with only one chocolate cookie that has 160 calories!  Lobsters are high in potassium, magnesium, Vitamin A, B12, B6, B3, B2, calcium, phosphorous, iron, zinc and amino acids.  When compared to turkey and chicken, they are low in cholesterol and saturated fats.  This delicious seafood also helps to reduce the risks of heart disease and stroke.

Lobster belongs naturally to the "Slow Food" movement, as one has to open the shells piece for piece and cannot wolf it down like a hamburger.  Low in calories, healthy and fresh - Lobster is all you can ask for in food.

Critical to the Livelihood of Rural Maritimes

The lobster industry supports many other sectors, such as boat builders, trap builders, marine supplies, engine repair, shipping, bait, marketing, legal, insurance and fuel, just to name a few.

In 2004 the fall lobster fishery on the South Shore of Nova Scotia hit rock bottom. To increase their stocks, Fishermen adopted a controversial plan, agreeing to release all female lobsters above a certain size.  A really hard decision, to throw money back into the water...  Seven years later, as a sure sign of renewal, catches have nearly doubled. 

.

How Lobsters are Caught

Heavy, 90-pound lobster traps are hauled into the boats, each one filled with Green Crab or Red Fish bait.  Watching these fisherman doing their sweaty, hard work around these expensive boats (and licenses) one is wondering why lobsters can be sold so cheap in this part of the world.  In most European countries lobsters retails for around $ 40 - $ 50 apiece in restaurants, very expensive compared to North America's East coast, where you can purchase an already cooked lobster for less than $10 in grocery stores.

.

.

Now in season, frequently enjoy them for supper instead of eating meat and fries.  If you are lucky, come along on a lobster boat to watch the harvesting, which an hour later will be cooked into a delicious meal.  Living next to a wharf, for me Lobster is the ultimate "1-mile-diet" - not a 100-mile-diet.

Everything anyone would like to know about lobster, including recipes can be found here:

http://www.lobstertailscooking.com

http://www.novascotia.com/en/home/discovernovascotia/foodandwine/lobster/default.aspx

.

<><><><>

.